Well service pump system joint

Abstract

A well service pump system for supplying working fluid to a well, the pump system having structural joint coupled to and extending between the housing of a hydraulic ram cylinder and the housing of a working fluid end cylinder that maintains the distance between the housings and stabilizes the housings relative to one another without interfering with the operation of the pump system. The structural joint further permits the use of minimal supporting structures for securing the hydraulic ram cylinder and working fluid end cylinder to a surface, such as the bed of a trailer.

1 . A well service pump system comprising:
 a working fluid end cylinder having an end cylinder housing with a first end, a second end, and a plunger rod having a proximal end extending through the first end of the end cylinder housing, the plunger rod configured to reciprocate in the end cylinder housing;   a hydraulic ram cylinder having a ram cylinder housing with a first end, a second end with a fluid port, a ram piston configured to reciprocate in the ram cylinder housing, and a piston rod coupled to the ram piston, the piston rod having a distal end extending from the second end of the ram cylinder housing and coupled to the plunger rod of the working fluid end cylinder such that the piston of the hydraulic ram cylinder can be actuated to move the plunger rod of the working fluid end cylinder:
 in a first direction to expel working fluid from the end cylinder housing during a forward stroke of the plunger rod; and 
 in a second direction to draw working fluid into the end cylinder housing during a return stroke of the plunger rod; and 
   a structural joint having a joint housing coupling the end cylinder housing to the ram cylinder housing such that the joint housing surrounds a portion of the first end of the end cylinder housing and a portion of the second end of the ram cylinder housing.   
     
     
         2 . The pump system of  claim 1 , where the joint housing comprises a plurality of joint housing pieces each extending a full length of the joint housing and removably coupled together to define the joint housing. 
     
     
         3 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The pump system of  claim 1 , where the joint housing includes a first connector portion at a first end of the joint housing and a second connector portion at a second end of the joint housing. 
     
     
         7 . The pump system of  claim 6 , where the first and second connector portions each include one or more lands and grooves that are configured to mate with the first end of the end cylinder housing or the second end of the ram cylinder housing. 
     
     
         8 . The pump system of  claim 6 , where the first connector portion of the joint housing is secured to the second end of the ram cylinder housing with a plurality of bolts extending through the first connector portion into the ram cylinder housing, and the second connector portion of the joint housing is secured to the first end of the end cylinder housing by a nut encircling and engaging threads on an outer surface of the first end of the end cylinder housing. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more supports configured to stabilize at least one of the ram cylinder housing, joint housing, and end cylinder housing, the one or more supports each having a first end coupled to an exterior surface of the ram cylinder housing, the joint housing, and the end cylinder housing, and a second end coupled to a surface, where each of the one or more supports spans less than the entire length of the housing to which the support is coupled. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The pump system of claim  12 , where the piston wear ring is made of a softer material than the plunger rod. 
     
     
         16 . The pump system of claim  12 , where the joint housing further includes a connector portion at the second end of the joint housing configured to retain the retaining nut, piston wear ring, and seals circumferentially within the radially expanded portion of the end cylinder housing, the connector portion having one or more lands and grooves that are configured to mate with corresponding lands and grooves on the exterior surface of the radially expanded portion of the end cylinder housing. 
     
     
         17 . A method of assembling a well service pump system, the method comprising:
 coupling a first end of a plunger rod of a working fluid end cylinder to a first end of a piston rod of a hydraulic ram cylinder, the first end of the plunger rod extending from a first end of an end cylinder housing of the working fluid end cylinder, and the first end of the piston rod extending from a second end of a ram cylinder housing of the hydraulic ram cylinder; and   before or after coupling the first end of the plunger rod to the first end of the piston rod and without moving the second end of the ram cylinder housing relative to the first end of the end cylinder housing:
 coupling the second end of the ram cylinder housing to a first end of a joint housing of a structural joint; and 
 coupling the first end of the end cylinder housing to a second end of the joint housing of the structural joint. 
   
     
     
         18 . The assembly method of  claim 17 , further comprising removably coupling a plurality of joint housing pieces together to define the joint housing, the joint housing pieces each extending a full length of the joint housing. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly method of  claim 17 , further comprising coupling a first connector portion of the joint housing to the second end of the ram cylinder housing, where the first connector portion is located at the first end of the joint housing, and coupling a second connector portion of the joint housing to the first end of the end cylinder housing, where the second connector portion is located at the second end of the joint housing. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly method of  claim 19 , further comprising securing the first connector portion to the first end of the ram cylinder housing with a plurality of bolts extending through the first connector portion into the ram cylinder housing and further securing the second connector portion to the first end of the end cylinder housing by a threading a nut onto the outer surface of the first end of the end cylinder housing. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly method of  claim 20 , further comprising securing the first connector portion to the ram cylinder housing before securing the second connector portion to the end cylinder housing. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The assembly method of  claim 17 , further comprising coupling a first end of a support to an exterior surface of the ram cylinder housing, the joint housing, or the end cylinder housing and a second end of the support to a surface such that the support spans less than the entire length of the housing. 
     
     
         24 . A structural joint for a well service pump system, the structural joint comprising a joint housing having:
 a first end having a first connector portion;   a second end having a second connector portion; and   and an interior passageway extending between the first end and the second end;   wherein the joint housing is configured to be disposed between and coupled to both a housing of a first cylinder via the first connector portion such that a cylinder rod of the first cylinder is translatable into and out of the interior passageway, and a housing of a second cylinder via the second connector portion such that a cylinder rod of the second cylinder is translatable into and out of the interior passageway and is couplable to the cylinder rod of the first cylinder, without movement of the housing of the first cylinder relative to the housing of the second cylinder.   
     
     
         25 . The structural joint of  claim 24 , wherein the joint housing comprises a plurality of joint housing pieces each configured to be coupled to the other(s) of the joint housing pieces to define the joint housing. 
     
     
         26 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The structural joint of  claim 24 , where the first and second connector portions each include one or more lands and grooves that are configured to mate with the housing of the first cylinder or the housing of the second cylinder. 
     
     
         31 . The structural joint of  claim 24 , where the first connector portion of the joint housing includes a plurality of bolt holes for securing the first connector portion to the housing of the first cylinder. 
     
     
         32 . The structural joint of  claim 24 , where the second connector portion of the joint housing includes a tapered exterior surface for engaging a nut to secure the second connector portion to the housing of the second cylinder. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein coupling the second end of the ram cylinder housing to the first end of the joint housing and/or coupling the first end of the end cylinder housing to the second end of the joint housing is performed after coupling the first end of the plunger rod to the first end of the piston rod.